Business of Paper Stars
by Phoenixofdarkness62
Summary: "She was on her own now. Both Yahiko, long since passed, and Nagato were gone. Come to think of it, Master Jiraiya was dead too." A little alternative idea for Konan and what exactly she did with her best friends remains. Songfic.


**A/N:** I am perfectly aware that a situation like this does NOT happen in the manga. I am also aware of the real circumstances of Konan and Madara's fight, what happen to Yahiko and Nagato's bodies, etc. (Don't post spoilers in your reviews please, in case others haven't read that part yet.) This is just a song fic I did for fun so please; you don't need to inform me of the fact that this is 'wrong' or inaccurate. I'm aware of that fact. Anway; The the song used is 'Business of Paper Stars' by Hawthorne Heights. All the lyrics are indicated by the ~ mark and are written in _italics._

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><p>She was on her own now. Both Yahiko, long since passed, and Nagato were gone.<p>

Come to think of it, Master Jiraiya was dead too.

_~Don't hesitate to remember, everything~_

Nagato had been such a shy guy. Honestly, she had thought for the longest time he only really liked Chibi. His eyes, back then they were so pretty as he began to discover the Rinnegan. "You think it's pretty Konan?" Nagato had asked her; in his childish voice he and Yahiko had shared. She nodded with a smile. "Yeah, they're really pretty, Nagato." She had answered.

Yahiko on the other hand, had always been a loud and in charge kind of guy. She had known him back in their small village, sort of. It was hard not to notice someone like Yahiko. Every big 'game' of ninja, he was in charge of who was paired off with who and team selection and such. Needless to say he stepped on peoples' toes, but he was so optimistic at the time everyone forgave him.

"Hey!" A boy with spiked hair shouted. Konan looked up from the paper shuriken she was making. A group of boys, along with the one who had shouted, had gathered whispering to one another.

"Well..."

"But she's..."

"... do need another..."

Finally bigger, as in fatter, boy declared, "She can't play with us because she's a girl." Konan instantly started to gather up her origami shuriken, and hustled away, embarrassed for some reason. She peeked back only once to see the first boy, the loud one, looking at her. It was the last game of ninja they ever played.

Like sheep to a slaughterhouse, the boys had been killed, aside from Yahiko who had left the game. Konan came upon their village in ruins, as various ninja raided the houses ablaze or not. Once she was sure they were gone, a day later, she did her own scavenging. It was during that she met and allied with Yahiko.

_~From this never ending drama monologue~_

Konan shook her head. This wasn't the time to hold a mental monologue with herself over the past. The past was done with. All that remains is pain.

She stopped. Was that really it though? In the end, was all that remained was just pain?

Yes; she felt pain. It was the same pain she had felt when Nagato had been forced to kill Yahiko for her sake. She felt pain welling up in her chest for assisting in the death of her sensei. She certainly felt pain knowing Nagato was dead. Certainly the corpse on her shoulder proved as much. Mixed with that pain was anger, sadness, remorse and many other emotions but one emotion in the mix stood out the most; Hope.

Nagato had left the future to Naruto Uzumaki; Jiraiya's other pupil. Nagato was so sure of this that he gave his life in order to return life to the slain Konoha villagers and shinobi. She had said she trusted Naruto, perhaps a bit forced then, but now she really did believe in him.

Not everything ended in pain.

_~Don't leave your hate in surrender~_

It was odd thinking about her encounter with Naruto. The Akatsuki prided themselves on never surrendering, then again their had never been a reason too in the first place. Or a reason to admit such a thing.

Hate bred pain, something Naruto, while battling with Nagato, had said he had gave up, or would try to give up. Konan decided that she too in a last memorial for Jiraiya, Nagato, and Yahiko; she too would surrender her hate. She had no need for it now.

She was alone; she had no one to fight for not even the Akatsuki. Well, she wasn't completely alone considering she was dealing with Nagato and Yahiko's corpses. Near their first hideout, the caves, where it all began, that's where she was going to bury them, and live out the remainder of her life.

_~ Try to say~_

As she stared at the twin graves she had dug, it occurred to her she should say something, anything. Her mouth opened, and she felt the piercing on her chin. She closed her mouth.

Once Nagato's back had been pierced, and Yahiko's body, it had only made sense that she too, ought to be pierced. So with some assistance from Nagato, she had just one lip piercing done. Of course, not a chakra receiving piercing like Yahiko's body, but a piercing nonetheless, in order to match them. She opened her mouth again, only to find her mouth dry.

_~All the friends that you have lost~_

A great amount of emotion, or more rationally; realization stirred in Konan's body as she rehashed the Akatsuki's numbers. First Orochimaru leaving and or dying, then Sasori followed by Deidara, Hidan and Kakuzu, Itachi, and now all seven pains and Nagato. Tears came from her eyes silently. She was not mourning the loos of her fellow Akatsuki; she had never cared for them and vice verse from them. It was then and only then she realized in her life she had only three friends; Yahiko, Nagato, and Jiraiya, who was her sensei more then her friend. And now she had truly lost them all.

_~Save yourself from everything you have learned~_

Learning. "A shinobi is always learning," A quote Jiraiya repeated towards the end of the three year training. She had learned well, the art of origami, to the art of war and loss, not to mention pain. Learning continued as she, Nagato, and Yahiko moved forward towards their form of peace. Who could she trust, and whom should she kill? All was just another thing to be learned. So she simply stopped moving, and stayed with the two graves, the body's outside of them. If she didn't move nothing would happen. If nothing happened she wouldn't have to put the things she learned into use.

_~Save yourself from all the trust you never earned~_

Yes, she knew that Tobi, or Madara Uchiha, had never trusted her. She had never trusted him, or any of the other Akatsuki either. It was mutual. But she knew it wouldn't last long. Madara would come to kill her, she knew too much. Therefore, for her own sake, she'd lay low for a while. The village would have to do without their precious 'lady angel'.

_~We all learn from the burning out~_

Nagato's will had finally burned out, or perhaps it was Yahiko's will? Either way it was over, peace by pain was over, no more. She could barely figure when Madara's Infinite Tsukuyomi had began, and pain ended; they were so intertwined. She truly hoped Naruto's peace prevailed. Not because it was the type of peace Jiraiya sensei had hoped for, or that Nagato had agreed too, but simply because it was the most childlike. It was an innocent and honest sort of peace, that with the proper phrasing, she knew would prevail

_~We all learn from the liar's mouth~_

Madara; he had tainted it, all of it. The Akatsuki, their purpose, everything was tainted by one liar's mouth. He spread such good lies though, one's that made so much sense, and at the same time made her want to gag. Posse every man, woman and child for the ultimate peace; it made her want to punch herself. Who in their right mind would think that would be peace. It would be a frail peace if peace at all. But the way he phrased it made it sound so sweet. They say anything and everything can be learned from the liar's mouth.

_~Save yourself from everything~_

She contemplated taking her life next. There was no purpose behind her life. She had always been a sort of flotsam that others had picked up and utilized, more then her own violation on things. The kunai was on her throat. She could feel her own pulse against the blade reminding her how easy it'd be to save herself from such an uncertain future. She took the blade away and aimed it into the distance, as she growled frustrated. She couldn't do it, no even for such a sweet selfish reason.

_~You have learned~_

Suicide, even that wasn't her own choice. It was a way for her to join Nagato and Yahiko. Even by not moving she still learned.

"Damn," She muttered, her mouth still dry. All of them, although deceased were still influencing her. Another lesson learned.

_~It's easy to forget~_

Memories she thought would always be easy to recall, faded until she forgot. She didn't remember her parents. She couldn't remember the name of her original village or when she had learned origami. She was pretty sure she had taught herself. But what had inspired her to start?

She couldn't remember no matter how hard she tried.

Yahiko, Jiraiya's voices, she couldn't recall them. Even Nagato and Naruto's conversation was already fading away from her mind.

_~Where you are and where you've been~_

Konan couldn't remember where exactly her like old village had been. It had burned to the ground the last she had heard, so many years ago. Yahiko would be able to remember she was sure he'd remember.

But he was no more, so she couldn't ask him.

She realized she'd never bothered to remember where she'd been over the years. She had been to every nation including the land of snow, yet she couldn't remember much about anywhere.

But she was here, where it had began, and that's all that mattered, or was she? All the little hidden caverns looked the same after awhile...

_~So far in this business of, inconsistent paper stars~_

Each star had been different so far. No matter how hard Konan tried, each star was different. The real stars had long since been out as she struggled. She hadn't folded a non-violent paper sat since she was a child. Awkwardly she fought with each paper until it vaguely resembled a star. Shuriken stars were easier. Everything was easier just as paper. She paused, and then was struck with an idea. With a newfound vigor she began again making paper stars. Extremely inconsistent, each varying wildly from the next, all her paper became stars. Mixed with some pre-made shuriken from before, and even her ripped scraps became useful.

_~So let us die, but let us live~_

She began cutting her wire stash. At this point it didn't matter to Konan if she died or lived. If she died at least she'd be with Yahiko and Nagato. Maybe she'd even she Master Jiraiya one last time. Death would be much easier to handle then living. However, she continued to cute wire, until the pile of cut wire grew. She emptied everything out and found more paper to fold. She took it as a sign that she was still alive, when she got a paper cut.

_~If you want blood, there's none to give~_

As far as Konan figured; she had no enemies. There were enemies of the Akatsuki but very few, if of her specifically. She reasoned that Madara wasn't particularly interested in blood; except maybe the blood of the Konoha residents. Yet he mumbled before something about eyes. He wouldn't be interested in her eyes... she glanced over at the graves, but what about Nagato's Rinnegan... She stared at the corpses. She wouldn't let him defile Nagato or Yahiko.

_~So just stop asking for the right, to trade us all to dry tonight~_

"Come on Konan, it wouldn't take much." Kakuzu reasoned with her. She turned on her heel and continued down the hall. She didn't hear him following. Good.

He appeared beside her. "Think of it, think of the money-" "Hell no." She said lowly passing him again. Kakuzu followed her with a serious expression and pinned her to the wall. "You wouldn't even have to do as they ask. Just knock them out and take their cash." He snarled. She drew a paper kunai from her sleeve. "Think of-"

"The hell?" Kakuza flew away from Konan. His features distorted in anger. "The hell are you doing Pain?" He snarled. Yahiko aka Pain just let his hand fall back to his side. He glanced at Konan.

For a second she could see the original Yahiko acting.

"I need to talk to you about your next mission." He said turning abruptly. Kona followed leaving Kakuzu.

"He'd trade us all to turn a quick profit." She muttered, nursing the back of her head. "But he's excellent at tracking down high profit missing and wanted ninjas to fund our efforts." Pain replied. She rolled her eyes and said nothing. Arguing with Pain was like arguing with a rock. Pointless.

_~Save yourself from everything you have learned~_

She woke with a start, only to find herself surrounded by hundreds if not thousands of paper stars. What had she been thinking? Now she had nothing to defend herself with. She turned to be met with the pile of wire she had cut at various lengths. She cursed herself.

She had no one to blame but herself on this one. She was completely unprepared for anything. And she couldn't shake the feeling something or someone was tacking her down as she thought. Hastily, he old idea dawned on her.

_~Save yourself from all the trust you never earned~_

Her paranoia set in about Madara Uchiha's obsession with ocular jutsu. She was certain he'd come and violate Nagato and nothing would or could tell her otherwise. From the kunai and shuriken she had collected from Nagato and Yahiko, and a few along the way, she secured them into the ceiling of the cavern in various spots; the wire hanging from them, and blowing in the breeze. She re-evaluated her supplies, smoke bombs, small explosives, and a few other bits and pieces. With these she began to form a new idea. She found herself smirking slightly. Deidara and Sasori would be proud. Her art could last for days untouched, and then be gone with a bang.

_~We all learn from the burning out~_

Her food supplies were running low, along with firewood. Not to mention her energy was gone from tying the wire to the kunai and shuriken, then getting them to stay in the ceiling, while simultaneously trying to prevent the ceiling from caving. She laid on her back, passed out, surrounded by paper stars.

_~We all learn form the liar's mouth~_

"Well fuck, where's my fucken scythe?" Hidan swore in the morning.

"You should try elsewhere." Zetsu's white side said politely. "Aka get the hell out." His black side snapped, bluntly. "Shut up bi-polar fucken disorder on high, or Lord Jashin will come and reap his vengeance." Hidan said completely confident.

"How can you believe is such a barbaric sounding god?" Itachi asked, Kisame not far behind. Kisame laughed. "Best be careful, he might-"

BOOM.

The entire liar shook and yet another fight began. "Shut up Deidara, that's not art!" Sasori shouted, his small puppet body growled. Deidara, coated in clay pouted. "You just don't appreciate my art."

And Konan felt herself wondering if everything would actually work out. Nagato and …. Tobi as he was to be called assured her that the others would be fine in their mission. "It'll be fine." Came the unusually calming force from Pain, as he came in.

Pain was wrong. It was not fine in the end. They, aside from her, Madara, Kisame, and possibly Zetsu; were dead.

_~Save yourself from everything, you have learned~_

It felt good this sleep she was in. It was relaxing and oddly comfortable.

Wait.

Master Jiraiya had said something about sleep like this before…. It was bad. No it was good?

Konan stopped. If she was sleeping how was she thinking of sleeping? Was it possible to dream about thinking about sleep?

She struggled, whatever it was it wasn't good. She had to up and soon.

_~You have learned,_

_You have learned,_

_You have learned~_

Konan had managed to wake up from a nearly comatose state. Something to be proud of, and to be disappointed in. If she ever fell asleep again, she knew it was highly probably she wouldn't wake up again. So she set herself up to finished tying various objects to the wire.

_~It's easy to forget who you are, In this business of these paper stars~_

She worked in silence, first attaching smoke bombs, and flash bombs to the wire. Then came a concealed sealing tag or two.

_~It's easy to forget who you are, In this business of these paper stars~_

It was done. Her last trap, her final plan to protect Nagato and Yahiko from Madara. It was stunning as it was cunning. At her decision, she could completely collapse the cavern herself in included in this, and she would bury herself, near her tow best friends. The sun went down, and she lit a few candles throughout the cavern without fear. With the real stars, the candles, and her own stars she found herself awed by what she had created. It was beautiful then Deidara's explosions or Sasori's puppets; more deadly then Itachi and Kisame; worth more then Kakuzu's money or Hidan's salvation; more secretive then Zetsu, and just as great as Yahiko and Nagato were. It was something she was proud of. It was more glorious to her then her title of 'lady angel'. Surely it would stop Madara.

_~It's easy to forget who you are, in this business of these paper stars~_

"Konan."

The sound of her own name scared her.


End file.
